Car truck



R. C. PIERCE July 31, 1945.

CAR TRUCK Filed May 15, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet l o o E INVENTOR.

July 31, 1945.

Filed May 15, 1943 R. C. PIERCE CAR TRUCK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 r INVENTOR.

fmezym'ond 6 g eg'ce Patented July 31, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICECAB TRUCK Raymond 0. Pierce, Chicago, Ill.

Application May 15, 1943, Serial No. 487,123

20 Claims. ('01. 105-197) My invention relates to a railway car truckand more particularly to a quick wheel change type utilizing a sideframe and bolster of generally conventional form but aifording a novelspring sup orting arrangement therebetween.

.The general object of my invention is to devise a railway car truckutilizing a truss side frame and a box section bolster with a novelspring supporting arrangement comprising a load lever or saddle castinghaving frictional engagement with the side frame, fulcrumed from thebolster and cooperating with resilient means mounted in the bolster.

Figures 8 and 9 illustrate the fulcrum key, locking the bolster andsaddle casting, Figure 8 being a side view thereof and Figure 9 an endview.

In the embodiment illustrated, my novel car truck comprises a truss sideframe having the compression member 2, the tension member-.4,

and spaced columns 6, 6, defining the bolster A more specific object ofmy invention is to devise a railway car truck of the type describedwherein a plurality of coil springs may be mounted in the bolster incooperation with saddle castings or levers hung from said bolster andfrictionaily supported on the side frame.

My invention comprehends a novel form of load lever or saddle castingwith a spring seat at one end thereof, a friction face at the oppositeend thereof, and an intermediate fulcrum for connection to a bolstermember specially arranged I for that purpose.

My invention also comprehends a novel form of side frame structurearranged for cooperationwith the before-mentioned load lever or saddlecasting on the tension member in the bolster opening and, accordingly,is without a spring seat in the ordinarily accepted sense of the word.Also, my novel truck utilizes a unique bolster and structure as mayhereinafter be described in detail.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a fragmentary side 4.

elevation of, a railway car truck embodying my invention, end portionsof the side frame tension and compression members being cut away as notpertinent to my invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view through the railway car truck illustratedin Figure 1, the section being taken adjacent the vertical transverseplane bisecting the truck structure as indicated by the 'line 2-2 ofFigure l.

Figure 3 is a further sectional view of th truck structure shown inFigures 1 and 2, the section being taken approximately in the horizontalopening 8 within which may be received the end of the bolster, generallydesignated l0. Each column 6 may be of U section with the inboard web[2, the outboard web i4, and the transverse web l6, along the centralportion of which may be formed flat bolster guide surfaces with whichthe bolster side walls may cooperate as at l8, l8 (Figure 3), saidbolster being formed with inboard and outboard gibs 20 and 22 forguiding engagement therewith. Beneath the bolster opening the tensionmember 4 is of novel form, having the bottom horizontal web 24, anarcuate web 26, and a vertical longitudinal reinforcing rib 28. Thearcuate web 25 may have secured thereon a wear plate 29 for cooperativeengagement with the friction wall 30 of the saddle casting, generallydesignated 32, said wall having a face complementary in form with thearcuate web 26 for frictional movement therealong.

In the embodiment illustrated, a plurality of saddle castings or loadlevers 32, 32 of identical form are provided, eachgin slidablefrictional engagement with the tension member as at 34, and each beingfulcrumed intermediate its ends as at 36 against the key 38 which may bemounted in the slots 40, 40 formed respectively in the triangularportions 42, 42 projected from the vertical side walls of the bolsterand in the triangular portion 44 (Figure 5) projected from theintermediate wall or rib 46 of the bolster. The opposide end of eachlever member 32 may be formed with the spring cap 48, affording a seatas at 50 for the adjacent spring-group including the outer compressionspring 52 and the inner compression spring 54, the opposite ends ofwhich may seat as at 56 against the vertical transverse wall 58 of thebolster.

The bolster, of usual box section, may have the top wall 60, side walls62 and 64 (Figure 4), as well as the longitudinal central rib 46 and thebottom wall 66. The rib 46 and the lateral walls 62 and 64 are projectedin the triangular portions, 44, 42, 42, as already described, to formfulcrum seats for the key 38 (Figure 8), said key having a rectangularedge lli fitted within the slots 40, 40, an arcuate edge 12 affording afulcrum as at 38, as already described for the load levers 32, 32. Thekey 38 may have retaining lugs 14,14 at its opposite extremities.

The top bolster wall 60 may be cored away as at I6 (Figure 5) and thebottom wall at 18, 18 to reduce weight. The bottom wall 66 may be alsocored away to form the openings at 80, 80 at opposite sides of thebolster, each of said openings being slotted as at 82 to accommodate thevertical web se of the adjacent load lever 32. Each of the side walls 62and 64- may be cored away as at 86 to afford entrance for the springgroup and accessibility thereto.

The saddle casting or load lever 32 is shown. in detail in Figures 6 and7 and, as already indicated, comprises the vertical triangular web 84having the spring seat 48 at one end and the side frame engagingfriction portion 88 at the opposite end reinforced by the top flange 90and formedwith the arcuate web 30 having a bottom friction face 92 forengagement with a complementary surface on the side frameat 34, asalready described. Intermediate its ends the load lever is formed witha. fulcrum portion 94 slotted as at 96 for the key 38, said slot 96having a V shape to accommodate the movement of said key therein. Theyoke 98 at the extremity of the fulcrum portion affords an arcuate seatat I00 a'gainstwhich the arcuate edge I2 of the key 38 may seat, asalready mentioned.

The saddle casting 32 is designed to prevent undue downward motion ofthe bolster and prevent .the truck springs Hand 54 from going solid. Thebolster also is adequately supported in case of failure of the saddlecasting, the key, or the downwardly projecting triangular portions ofthe bolster. The spring seat portion 48 of each saddle casting issupported above the associated slot 82 in the bottom of the bolster andso prevents the saddle casting from dropping in case of key failure orloss.

To those skilled in the art the operation of my device will be readilyapparent. As the load is increased on the bolster, it will tend to bedepressed in relation to the side frame and this will compress .thesprings 52 and 54 while at the same time the load levers 32, 32 willfulcrum about the pivots at 36 afforded by the key 38 mounted in thebolster, anda sliding'movement of the friction end portion of the loadlever will develop friction at 34 where the web 30 is in complementaryengagement with the friction surface aiforded on the tension member ofthe side frame. As the load is released, the movement between thefriction surfaces will be in the opposite direction, of course, as thesprings expand and the load lever rotates in the opposite directionabout the fulcrum at 38.

It is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited by the exactembodiment of the device shown which is merely by way of illustrationand not limitation as various and other forms of the device will, ofcourse, be apparent to those' skilled in the art without departing fromthe spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a railway car truck, a truss side frame having a tension memberand spaced columns defining in part a bolster opening, a friction seaton said tension member in said opening, a bolster having an endprojecting into said opening, spring means in said bolster, a fulcrumarm on said bolster, and a member pivoted on said arm and seated at oneend against said spring means and having its opposite end in slidableengagement with said seat, said seat having an arcuate' configuration incomplementary engagement with the adjacent end of said pivoted member.

2. In a railway car truck, a side frame having a .tension member andspaced columns defining in part abolster opening, a bolster having anend in said opening cooperating with said columns, a, horizontal coilspring housed in said bolster, and a rigid member fulcrumed intermediateits ends from said bolster and having an end seated against said springsand an end in frictional engagement with said frame, said frame engagingend having an arcuate friction surface engaging a complementary surfaceon said tension member, said rigid member being fulcrumed approximatelyvertically below its engagement with said spring.

3. In a railway car truck, a side frame having a tension member andspaced columns, a bolster in guiding engagement with said columns,fulcrum means suspended from said bolster, a horizontal coil springhoused in said bolster and seated against a transverse wall thereof, anda lever pivoted from said fulcrum means and having an end bearingagainst said spring and an end in frictional engagement with saidtension member, said last-mentioned end having an armate form engaging acomplementary surface on said tension member.

4. In a railway car truck, a truss side frame having tension andcompression members and spaced columns defining a bolster opening, afriction seat on said tension member in said opening, a bolster endprojecting into said opening, resilient means in said bolster, 'fulcrumarms on said bolster, and members fulcrumed from said arms and supportedat corresponding ends by said resilient means and at their opposite endson said seat, each of said fulcrumed members bearing against theadjacent arm and resilient means in approximately the same verticalplane. 4

5. In a railway car truck, a truss side frame having a tension memberand spaced columns defining in part a bolster opening, a friction seaton said tension member in said opening, a bolster having an endprojecting into said opening, horizontal spring means housed in saidbolster,-a fulcrum arm on said bolster, and a member pivoted on said armand bearing at opposite ends against said spring means and said seat,said pivot point being at the lowermost part of said bolster and atleast as low as said seat. I

6. In a railway car truck, a side frame having a tension member andspaced columns defining g in part a bolster opening, a bolster havingan' end in said opening cooperating with said columns, resilient meansin said bolster, and a triangular rigid member fulcrumed adjacent onecorner thereof from said bolster to pivot in a vertical plane, saidrigid member having a seat at another corner bearing against saidresilient means, and frictional means adjacent the third corner engagingsaid frame.

7. In a railway car truck, a side frame having a tension member andspaced columns, abolster in guiding engagement with said columns,fulcrum means suspended from said bolster, a horizontal coil springhoused in said bolster and seated against a transverse wall thereof, anda a lever pivoted from said fulcrum means and hav- 7; ing a'verticalseat bearing against said spring and an end in frictionalengagement with said tension member.

8. In a railway car truck, a truss side frame having tension andcompression members and spaced columns defining a bolster opening, afriction seat on said tension member in said )pening, a bolster endprojecting into said opening, resilient means in said bolster, a fulcrumarm on said bolster, and a member fulcrumed from said arm and supportedat one end by said resilient means and at the other end on said seat,said fulcrumed member bearing against said resilient means inapproximately the vertical plane defined by the fulcrum point thereof.

9. In a railway car truck, a supporting member, a supported memberhaving an end in guided engagement with-said supporting member, and

a lever fulcrumed from one of said members and having its respectiveends resiliently supported in one of said members and frictionallyengaging the other of said members, said frictional engagement beingalong an arcuate surface, said lever fulcruming about the lowermostpoint of said supported member.

10. A box section bolster having a transverse wall affording a springseat adjacent the center bearing thereof, parallel intermediate and sidewalls, a top wall and a bottom wall, a plurality of fulcrum meansprojecting from said bottom wall, and slots intermediate said fulcrummeans for accommodation of an associated lever.

11. In a railway car truck, a side frame having tension and compressionmembers and bolster guides, a bolster having an end in cooperativeengagement with said guides, a, friction seat on said tension member,and a member resiliently fulcrumed from said bolster for cooperativeengagement with said seat, the resilient support for said fulcrumedmember being approximately vertically above its fulcrum point.

12. A box section bolster having a transverse wall affording centerbearing support, and parallel intermediate and lateral walls, saidlateral walls being cored away to accommodate resilient meanstherebetween, and seats on said transverse wall for said resilientmeans.

13. A box section bolster having a transverse wall affording centerbearing support, and parallel intermediate and lateral walls and top andbottom walls, fulcrum means projecting from said bottom wall, and a slotin said bottom wall adjacent said fulcrum means for accommodation of anassociated lever member.

14. A side frame and bolster connecting lever of triangular form, havinga main web with a; slot therein at one .comer of said triangle affordinga fulcrum, a spring seat at another corner, and a friction seat at thethird corner thereof, at

least one of said seats being arranged at right angles to said main web.

15. In a truck, spaced side frames, a bolster cooperating therewith, andlever means fulcrumed from said bolster and having their inner endsresiliently seated therein and having their outer ends frictionallyseated on said frames, respectively, the fulcrum of each lever meansbeing located approximately at the intersection of the vertical planepassing through the adjacent resilient seat and the horizontal planepass- ,ing through the adjacent frictional seat.

16. In a railway car truck, a truss side frame having tension andcompression members and spaced columns defining a bolster opening, afriction seat on said tension member in said opening, a bolster endprojecting into said opening, resilient means in said bolster, a fulcrumarm on said bolster, and a rigid member fulcrumed from said arm andsupported at one end thereof by said means approximately over saidfulcrum point and at its opposite end on said seat.

1'7. In a railway car truck, a side frame having a tension member andspaced columns defining in part a bolster opening, a bolster having anend in said opening cooperating with said columns, resilient means insaid bolster, and a rigid member fulcrumed intermediate its ends fromsaid bolster and having an end seated against said resilient means andan end in frictional engagement with said frame, one of said ends beingapproximately in the same vertical plane as said fulcrum point and theother of said ends being adjacent the horizontal plane of said fulcrumpoint.

18. A box section bolster having a transverse wall affording centerbearing support and laterally spaced vertical walls, certain of saidspaced walls being cored away to accommodate resilient means associatedtherewith, and seats on said transverse wall for said resilient means.

19. A side frame and bolster connecting lever of triangular form, havinga main web with a slot therein at one corner of said triangle affordinga fulcrum, a spring seat at another comer, and a friction seat at thethird corner thereof, at least one of said seats being of arcuate'form.

20. A side frame and bolster connecting lever of triangular form, havinga main web with a slot therein at one corner of said triangle affordinga fulcrum, a spring seat at another corner, and a friction seat at thethird corner thereof, at least one of said seats being of arcuate formand both of said seats being arranged at right angles to said web.

. RAYMOND C. PIERCE.

